As War Rages, Samaria Officials Present Their Case in France

MK Haim Katz and Samaria Council official Yossi Dagan are in France, presenting Israel's case as Hamas rains missiles on Israel.

By Yaakov Levi

First Publish: 7/10/2014, 9:15 AM

MK Haim Katz

Flash90

A special delegation dispatched by the Samaria Regional Council, led by Deputy Council Director Yossi Dagan and MK Haim Katz (Likud) are in Paris to meet with officials there. The visit, which takes place as Hamas rains hundreds of rockets a day at Israeli civilians, has been in the planning for several months. Joining the delegations on their meeting with government and parliament officials in Paris are representatives of Jewish and Zionist organizations in France.

During the meetings, Dagan and Katz have been emphasizing the religious and historic connections of Jews to the entire Land of Israel, pointing to the many Biblical references to that connection.

They also highlighted how the European Union is funding incitement to terrorism by the Palestinian Authority's, and paying the salaries of terrorists being held in Israeli prisons.

Katz and Dagan said that many of the government officials they met with had very positive attitudes towards Israel, and that they understood well the struggles faced by Israelis, and especially by residents of Judea and Samaria.

“We are in France to help Jewish communities in Samaria,” said Katz. “It's not an easy job, but it's easier than we expected. Along with those who raise objections to what we are doing, we have found many who are sympathetic to our cause, including among parliament members, who today understand the issues involved with the takeover of the West by radical Islam.”

“G-d willing we will be visiting here again in the coming months, and we will bring parliament members to visit us – thus breaking down the barriers and the ignorance, and alleviating the negative attitudes to Israel, and to Jewish settlement in Samaria,” Katz added.

According to Samaria Council head Gershon Mesika, “the Council will continue bringing parliament members, government officials, and opinion makers from around the world to Samaria. We have always found that face-to-face meetings and personalized tours are a great antidote to negativity. Anyone who sees what goes on in Samaria becomes more connected to our communities, and to the Land of Israel altogether.”